Visa launches its first Data Centre in Africa, reinforcing its long-term commitment to the region

Johannesburg, 23 July 2025: Visa, a global leader in digital payments, has officially opened its first Data Centre in Africa, marking a significant milestone in its three-decade journey of partnership, innovation, and inclusion across the region. The new facility, launched at a market appreciation event in Johannesburg, represents, in part, a R1 billion investment over the next three years into South Africa.

“This investment reflects our commitment to the long-term potential of South Africa and its economy,” said Michael Berner, Head of Southern and East Africa at Visa. “With the launch of this state-of-the-art Data Centre, we are building the digital foundations needed to drive inclusion, unlock innovation and power the broader vision of sustainable economic growth across the region.”

Visa’s new Data Centre represents a significant expansion of its global processing network, VisaNet, which powers more than 100 billion transactions annually across 200 countries and territories. This cutting-edge infrastructure brings Visa’s world-class capabilities closer to South African businesses and consumers, enabling secure, seamless and resilient transaction processing within South Africa’s’ borders.

Supporting the Evolution of Payments Locally

Visa’s local infrastructure will play vital role in advancing South Africa’s dynamic digital economy by enabling the core technologies that power secure, fast, and reliable payments. It will support Visa’s partners in driving forward key industry innovations, including digital wallets, e-commerce, commercial transactions, and card-based person-to-person payments—while laying the groundwork for globally relevant solutions that align with the ambitions of the local financial sector.

“South Africa has made impressive strides in digital payments, with contactless transactions now accounting for over 60% of face-to-face payments,” said Berner. “This Data Centre is a critical enabler of that momentum, further strengthening the country’s real-time commerce infrastructure.”

Investing in People and Progress

With a growing footprint in the country, Visa now employs over 170 people at its Johannesburg headquarters and supports a robust payment ecosystem supporting millions of consumers and local businesses that include large retailers, spaza shops, transport hubs and online marketplaces. 

Additionally, Visa continues to accelerate digital transformation across the region through flagship initiatives like She’s Next, the Visa Fintech Accelerator, and financial literacy partnerships. These efforts provide vital access to funding, mentorship, digital tools, and networking opportunities—empowering women entrepreneurs, youth, and small businesses to thrive and contribute meaningfully to South Africa’s connected economy.

“Visa is proud to support South Africa’s national vision for digital inclusion and economic resilience,” said Lineshree Moodley, Country Manager for Visa South Africa. “As we continue to grow our infrastructure and expand our programmes locally, we remain committed to working alongside government and industry partners to deliver initiatives that directly support the country’s priorities—advancing financial inclusion, enhancing cybersecurity, and enabling job creation and innovation.”

About Visa

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable, and secure payment network, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive. For more information, visit www.visa.co.za.